Littleton veterans honored at special lunch

The Friends of the Littleton Council on Aging hosted their annual Veterans Day Luncheon Nov. 8, drawing more than 100 people.

Alexander Silva asilva@wickedlocal.com @IndieEagleWL

The Friends of the Littleton Council on Aging held their annual Veterans Day Luncheon Nov. 8, drawing 103 people to the multipurpose room in the Town Offices building on Shattuck Street.

At least 25 local veterans were in attendance at the lunch for a turkey dinner catered by Shirley Caterers.

The Friends group has held the luncheon every year for more than 20 years, according to Friends President Barbara McRae.

"We try to do it every year," McRae said. "We are recognizing them. We are saying we appreciate them. Even if you were in the military years and years ago, it still matters to us… This is our way of doing a little something."

Director of Veterans Services John Boroski said attendance at the event shows veterans in town look forward to the luncheon each year.

"I think it’s great," Boroski said at the event. "It’s great for the veterans to be recognized; that’s the main thing. At least once a year they get recognized for what they’ve gone through."

The Friends of the Littleton Council on Aging sponsors the event every year and hosts it in cooperation with the Council on Aging, according to Friends Vice President Nancy Levine.

"We take pride in America, but we take pride in our veterans who have fought for us all this time," Levine said. "I hope in the future we have veterans that weren’t in any wars."

Levine said the goal of the lunch is to get veterans and seniors out so they can talk to one another.

"It’s to get people out, to get them to enjoy each other… sit and talk with your friends," Levine said. "The veterans luncheon is extremely special because it’s not just for seniors, it’s any veteran can come that is any age, any branch of service, and it’s free to them and their spouse."

"I’ve been coming to these for a number of years. I’m very thankful for what the seniors have done for us," Selectman Joseph Knox said before the lunch. "I’m not a veteran myself, but I love to come to honor them for what they’ve done. I think the idea of having this luncheon every year is just a wonderful thing so we can honor the people for what they did to serve the country."

Knox said he thinks the luncheon is a good way for residents in town to show veterans their appreciation.

"I certainly do because it’s a chance where everyone can meet in a very informal dinner-type setting where they can talk about different things and honor the people that served our country for all these years," Knox said.

McRae’s husband was in the Army for 27 years, so she said she knows how strong friendships can grow in the service between veterans and their families.

"We were truly an Army family who moved around a lot," McRae said. "So it makes me happy to do this because the time that we spent in the service, I really enjoyed because we made so many good friends and now we have all these good friends here."

Levine said the Friends of the Littleton Council on Aging would like to expand the luncheon in the future, but are limited by space at the Town Offices building.

"We’re limited as to what we can do," Levine said. "Space is an issue and it has been for a very, very long time."

There will also be a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the Westlawn Cemetery on New Estate Road followed by a flag-retirement ceremony put on by the Littleton Boy Scouts.